The End
by yumeyana
Summary: [FujiTezu]It was an unexpected meeting in a place so familiar to them. A place that was part of the story that supposedly ended years ago. But what if it never really did?


**Author's Notes:** I hadn't planned on writing a sequel to _The Story_ but when the opportunity and inspiration came, I just had to. And so, this came to life. I hope you like it.

**Dedication:** First, to the people who thought that by just going on with their lives on other dimensions, they have moved on completely without the need to say those two magical words. Second, to the people who have unconsciously waited for that moment, may you find it. Third, to Reeza for the title (again). Fourth, to my wonderful muses, may you never fail to inspire me. And lastly, to Lea and Zai for that conversation we had last Saturday… some parts of this are in connection with that.

**Disclaimers:** Tennis no Oujisama and all its characters belong to the amazing and wonderful Konomi-sensei. Only the plot and a few others are mine.

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**The End**

They didn't expect it.

No, they didn't.

But Fuji knew that they eventually would. It was inevitable, after all. They only lived a few blocks from each other. But one could say that the tensai didn't exactly expect it to happen at that moment.

But they were there in the place that held so many memories. A place that actually served as a bridge between their two worlds. A place that was actually a bridge.

"It's been long," Fuji said, eyes opening. He didn't expect the other to initiate the conversation. He never did anyway.

Tezuka just nodded.

It was a very awkward situation for both of them, that they knew. They hadn't really talked to each other or seen each other since they graduated from Seigaku in Junior High. The former tennis club buchou had migrated to Germany after graduation, continuing his studies in the foreign land. Fuji had continued his studies in Seigaku. And other than a few random SMS's here and there, they seemed to be absent from each others lives.

Until that moment.

"How have you been?" Tezuka asked, surprising his current and unexpected companion.

Fuji smiled. "Fine, as far as I think I am. Life's been tough but when hasn't it been?" He chuckled, the way he always did. And Tezuka thought, _it seems like he hasn't changed._

"What about you? I didn't know you came back." There was a pause. "I thought you'd never come back."

"I've been fine."

Fuji shook his head. How long was that line? How many words were there? Three? Still the same old Tezuka.

He walked towards the bridge's railing, leaning on it. "Last I heard, you have a girlfriend."

It had been unexpected. Everyone couldn't believe it but they knew that Oishi never lied. Or could never. Even when Tezuka had left for Germany, it was the former fukubuchou who had stayed in touch with him.

There was a slight coloring on Tezuka's cheeks and Fuji couldn't help but laugh.

"Ne, buchou, I never knew you were capable of blushing."

Tezuka threw him a glare, the way he always had before when the tensai teased him. Then he shrugged, knowing that it wouldn't affect the other in any way. "Last I heard, _you_ were the buchou."

"Aa." It was true. When they had reached their senior year in Seigaku Senior High, the Golden Pair had convinced him that he was the man for the job. And he had reluctantly agreed.

"Oishi showed us her picture. She looks gorgeous."

A small smile escaped Tezuka's lips as he leaned against the railing as well. "Yes. Lysa is lovely."

Fuji closed his eyes. It had been years, yes - twenty years to be exact - but still, some part of him hurt. After all, he was Tezuka, the person he loved with all his heart.

"What about you? Anyone?"

Now that was something he didn't expect, Fuji thought.

"If you're not going to count the people in my dreams, well, none." He chuckled at Tezuka's expression. "Don't look at me like that. Even people my age can _fantasize_, you know."

"Your age?" he echoed. "Excuse me but I think I'm still the same age as you are."

"Oh?" This brought back a lot of memories, Fuji thought.

But Tezuka just shrugged, knowing where the conversation would lead to.

"No girlfriends?"

The chuckle stopped, cerulean eyes once again opening. Though there had been many girls willing to succumb to his every whim, he had found no one interesting enough. Or no one had loved him as Fuji Syusuke. Everyone seemed to love him because he was Fuji Syusuke, the best-selling novelist.

"Boyfriends?"

The tensai shook his head. "None, Tezuka." His eyes became misty and he wished it didn't. But old wounds seemed to heal slowly.

Or - _he feared_ - never heal at all.

"There was no one after you. You are the only man I've ever loved...

"... and will ever love, Tezuka."

There was silence and Fuji was thankful there was. He didn't know why he said those words, but it just seemed right that Tezuka would know after all these years. He needed to know.

The sun set behind them in the course of their conversation. The moon, full and round, hung above them now, shining. It could've been romantic, Fuji thought. Had this happened twenty or so years ago, it really would've been.

But that was a dream. **_This_** was reality.

The story wherein Tezuka had moved on. Where Tezuka had now achieved eight Grand Slams in his career, making him world number one. Where Tezuka had woven his own story, intertwined it with the girl he loved.

The story where, in his part, he also moved on. Where he had become a best-selling novelist. Where he had a small group of friends, only keeping those who meant dearly to him.

What had he said before? All he should do was walk forward and move on.

He had walked forward, hadn't he? He had moved on, hadn't he?

Yes. But it seemed that there was still baggage that was hard to leave behind no matter how hard he tried.

"I'm sorry."

Sea eyes flickered towards his companion's direction. He hadn't expected those words...

But he knew he had been waiting for them...

Tezuka let his eyes take in Fuji's profile, the way he hadn't done in years. It had been long, hadn't it? And in that course that he had taken, he had closed his heart - his eyes - to everything that concerned the tensai. He wanted... no, **_needed_**... to forget. It was the right choice, he knew, to leave Japan. He had found a new life in Germany. A new life with Lysa.

But Fuji... Fuji was part of his story that he had ran away from. The part of his story he had to face, now that he was given the opportunity to do so.

"I'm sorry, Fuji." He had a million things to say but he couldn't find them. That was the only coherent sentence he could think of.

Then Fuji smiled.

"I'm sorry, too, Tezuka."

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"Syusuke? Are you with me?"

Ocean eyes blinked open and met concerned amethyst ones.

"Takahisa... What are you doing here?"

The other raised an eyebrow. "We were to meet here, right? Or have you totally forgotten about that?"

Eyes closed, smiling sheepishly at his companion. "Gomen. I didn't forget. It's just that..." He paused. How exactly could he phrase the earlier events? "...something unexpected happened earlier."

In truth, Kajimoto wanted to know what happened. There was something in those features that told him that the _'something unexpected'_ that happened earlier was no light subject. But he didn't want to push Fuji to say anything. Years with him had told him that only if the tensai wanted to speak did the tensai speak.

"**OI! I'M STARVING! AND IF YOU TWO DON'T GET HERE IN TEN SECONDS, I'M GOING TO EAT KOJIROH!**"

"Not that I'd mind really."

Fuji chuckled, all the tension or whatever it was, gone from his face. "Saa… it hasn't stopped you before, right, Haru-kun?"

Kajimoto slipped his hand around the tensai's waist and smiled at him. _I'll wait until you want to tell me_, he wanted to say. And he knew that even through that small smile, Fuji would understand.

"Stop urging Masaharu to do such indecent things in my car. If anything stains, **_you're_** going to be the one to clean it."

Fuji just smiled, the way Kajimoto knew he would. He just smiled and let himself be lead to the car where two of his friends waited. He smiled as if something he didn't expect happened earlier.

He smiled because in his heart, he knew that there was no more unwanted baggage. There was only the past he could smile wistfully at, but not be sad about anymore.

For the story both he and Tezuka had left behind now had a proper ending. An ending that paved a way to another story. Or branched to the story they now lived.

Yes. Not all stories had happy endings. He knew that. He was a writer after all.

But perhaps, his new story could.

Fuji grinned.

He was a writer, wasn't he? He could manage it.

-Owari-  
::24Jan05:: ::09:50p::1382 words::

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**Author's Notes:** How many of you did not expect to see Niou Masaharu and Saeki Kojiroh… sort of together? ::snickers:: I was playing with the characters again. Forgive me. I just love doing that. Thanks for reading!

**P.S.**

To those who are reading _Silver Chains_, please be a little patient. Reasons why Fuji really has to interfere are going to be revealed soon. And yes, there are reasons.


End file.
